People investing in a PlayStation 3 have been told of a number of features which could enhance their experience with the machine.

Marc Saltzman, writing for DigitalTrends.com, said that while its first and third-party games, killer graphics and multimedia support for Blu-ray, DVDs and music steal the show, the Sony console is capable of doing so much more.

He said the PlayStation 3 also has support for digital living network alliance, which allows compatible devices to communicate with one another, meaning that music and videos stored on a hard drive can be accessed through the console.

“Remote Play is a feature that lets a PlayStation Portable user interact with the PlayStation 3’s interface, allowing easy control of all the content stored on your its hard drive or external media,” he added.

Furthermore, gamers can also improve their chances of completing titles by downloading game save files from other people and playing their way through with updated content and unlockables.

Microsoft Xbox 360 fans will be able to get their hands on its new next-generation control system from October.

The computer giant confirmed that it will be released in time for the Christmas holiday season, where games and consoles traditionally fly off the shelves.

Syed Bilal Tariq, Microsoft Saudi marketing manager, told GamertagRadio that Natal would be available in Saudi Arabia on the same day as the rest of the world "somewhere in October", adding that June’s E3 conference will see an official release date being announced.

This seems to tie in with a prediction made by Computerandvideogames.com, which said that a retail listing for a new yoga game which will use Natal was set for October.

People splashing out on the new control system will also be able to get their hands on a raft of new titles before Christmas, with Halo: Reach, a new Call of Duty game and Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 all coming out.

Horror fans looking for their next thrill have been told that Alan Wake could be right up their street after it received a number of positive reviews.

Matt Wales, writing for IGN.co.uk, said the game, which is now available on the Xbox 360, takes the best elements from titles such as Silent Hill and Twin Peaks and polishes them to come up with a simple and neat thriller.

Taking up a third-person perspective, gamers control Alan Wake, who is up against the town’s “off-kilter inhabitants and a malevolent force”, which has been lying dormant at the bottom of a local lake.

Gamers are put in a spooky and atmospheric environment, out in the countryside where there are abandoned mining towns, forest and farm yards.

“There’s also a significant shift in gameplay which sees an early driving sequence expanded into several lengthy rides through the mountains, scavenging for munitions and scurrying over obstacles as the apocalypse itself sticks close to your tail,” added Mr Wales.

The title has also received good reviews from IGN’s regional websites, with the US version giving it nine out of ten.

Fans of the Sid Meier series will get to cross swords, or Wii controllers, later this year when Pirates! hits the shelves.

The game, which is being developed by 2K China, will be available to Nintendo Wii users this Autumn, with added motion controls, new character and ship customisation options, and two mini-games included.

Based on the 2005 PC and Xbox title developed by Firaxis, the game will take people’s memories back to the original classic Sid Meier title which was first released in 1987.

“We are big fans of the Wii and think Pirates! is the perfect game to bring to that platform. We’re sure Wii fans will enjoy the timeless adventure of being a pirate captain on the high seas as much as all of our other fans have,” said Mr Meier.

Reviewing the Xbox version of the game, Douglass Perry told IGN that the title was “outstanding”, thanks to its “brilliant” gameplay and long-lasting appeal.

Fans of the latest game in the Call of Duty series will now be able to access extra content on their PlayStation 3 after a period of Xbox 360 exclusivity.

A new Stimulus map pack is available for Modern Warfare 2, containing five new terrains for gamers to fight through.

Two of the maps have been used from the hugely successful Call of Duty 4, where users are set in a dusty square in the middle of Iraq and the other features a run-down village where the enemy is lurking around every corner.

Three completely news maps have been included in the package, with a sprawling warehouse complex and plenty of rain providing a spooky and atmospheric battlefield, while a snowy scrapyard complex provides another warfare background.

Reviewing the package for the Xbox 360, NowGamer said that it was “definitely worth the investment if you’re as mad for Modern Warfare as we are”.

The latest game in the Tiger Woods PGA Tour series will feature a host of new features which will more closely mimic the sport.

Destructoid.com reported that Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 will include a number of realism-based improvements, which will better an “already spiffy game”.

Advanced plus and tour pro swing options will track the swing rotation and plane even more closely, meaning that the action path of the club is reproduced exactly on screen.

Tour pro mode will measure the point of contact on the ball, which means that gamers could even miss the target under the pressure of hitting a crucial fairway iron.

“There’s a new camera view called true view. This first-person perspective has you actually looking down at the ball, and not Tiger’s back. This puts you in the position to swing the club properly,” added the preview.

Furthermore, golf fans will also get to relive the Ryder Cup, competing as the Europeans or the US for golf’s most famous team trophy.